THE TRAINING OF 
APPRENTICES in 
the GOVERNMENT 
PRINTING OFFICE 



REVISED EDITION 
JANUARY, 1926 


Government Printing Office : 1926 
















































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COURSES FOR THE 
TRAINING OF APPRENTICES 
IN THE,GOVERNMENT 
PRINTING OFFICE 


Prepared under direction of the Public Printer 




REVISED EDITION: JANUARY, 1926 



GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
WASHINGTON 
1926 







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....... 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

Kfc.OE.IVED 

DEC 2o 1925 

DOCUMENTS DiVf^t^fc 











ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 


1 

£ 


Apprentices in the Government Printing Office are 
required to pass a civil-service competitive examination 
and obtain a satisfactory rating. 

[Extract from Civil Service Apprentice Examination Announcement No. 10] 
TRADES 

Appointments will be made to apprenticeships in the following 
trades: Printer, pressman, bookbinder, electrotyper, stereotyper, photo¬ 
engraver, and machinist in the Government Printing Office. A 
separate register of eligibles will be established for each of these 
trades. * * * 

LENGTH OF APPRENTICESHIP 

Appointees must serve for a period of at least four years as 
apprentice to the assigned trade before they can be promoted to 
journeyman standing in such trade. Time absent on authorized leave 
with pay, legal and Executive order holidays, and military and naval 
duty, as provided by law, will be deducted from the required train¬ 
ing period, but all other absence on working-days will be added to 
the training period in determining the rates of pay, qualifications for 
promotion, and graduation to journeyman standing. 

RATES OF PAY 

For the trades listed above apprentices will receive for the first 
year one-third of the rate of wages of mechanics of the trade to 
which assigned: for the second and third years one-half the rate, 
and for the fourth year two-thirds of the rate. The rate to be paid 
journeyman printers, pressmen, and bookbinders is 95 cents an hour, 
electrotypers and stereotypers $1.05 an hour, machinists $1.05 an 
hour, and photo-engravers $1.15 an hour, The rate of wages paid 
is subject to revision yearly. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIGE v 


/// 






ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 


HOLIDAYS 

Employees are entitled to 30 days accrued leave of absence each 
year, together with all legal holidays, with full pay. It is customary 
for the offices of the Government departments to close at noon on 
Saturday during the three summer months. 

RECREATION, ETC. 

An employee enjoys the advantages of one of the most up-to-date 
cafeterias in the country, which will mean a substantial saving if 
patronized. He also has the use of the bowling alleys, shower baths, 
rest rooms, etc., which are operated in connection with the cafeteria. 

CITIZENSHIP AND SEX 

All citizens of the United States who meet the requirements, both 
boys and girls, may enter this examination; appointing officers, how¬ 
ever, have the legal right to specify the sex desired in requesting 
certification of eligibles. For these positions in the Government 
Printing Office boys are desired. 

SUBJECTS AND WEIGHTS 

Competitors will be rated on the following subjects, which will 
have the relative weights indicated: 


Subjects Weights 

1. Spelling_____ 20 

2. Penmanship (the legibility, rapidity, neatness, and general appear¬ 

ance of the competitor's handwriting in the subject of copying 
from plain copy)_ 5 

3. Copying from plain copy (a simple test in copying accurately, in 

the competitor’s handwriting, a few printed lines)_ 10 

4. Letter waiting (a letter between 100 and 125 words in length on 

some subject of general interest. Compeitors may select either 
of two subjects given)_ 1 5 

5. Arithmetic (simple tests in addition, subtraction, multiplication, 

and division of whole numbers, common and decimal fractions, 
the ordinary weights and measures, United States money, and 
simple percentage)_ _ 15 

6. Education, training, and experience- 35 

Total. 100 




GOVERNMENT PR IN TING OFFICE V 

/ V 













ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 


EDUCATION AND TRAINING 

Under the sixth subject applicants must show that they have an 
education equal to the completion of the eighth grade of common 
school. Statements as to education and training are accepted sub¬ 
ject to verification. 

AGE 

Applicants must have reached their sixteenth but not their nine¬ 
teenth birthday on the date of the examination. Certification to 
apprentice positions in the Government Printing Office will not be 
made of eligibles who have reached their twentieth birthday. Age 
limits do not apply to persons entitled to preference because of mili¬ 
tary or naval service, except that such applicants must not have 
reached the retirement age. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

Applicants must be physically sound and in good health, and must 
have vision not less than 20/20 with either eye, or 20/20 combined. 
Applicants who are between the ages of 16 and 1 7 years must be 
at least 62 inches in height and weigh not less than 108 pounds, 
without clothing; and those who are between the ages of 1 7 and 19 
years must be at least 63 inches in height and weigh not less than 
110 pounds, without clothing. The medical certificate in the appli¬ 
cation blank * * * must be executed, and before entry on duty 

those selected for appointment will be required to pass an examina¬ 
tion by a physician to be designated by the Public Printer in order 
to establish their physical soundness. 

RETIREMENT 

Classified employees who have reached the retirement age and 
have served 15 years are entitled to retirement with an annuity. The 
retirement age for positions of this kind is 63 years. A deduction of 
2 X P er cent i* made from the monthly salary to provide for this 
annuity, which will be returned to persons leaving the service before 
retirement with 4 per cent interest, compounded annually. 

COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES 

An employee is entitled to compensation for injuries received in 
line of duty. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


V 







ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 


PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF APPOINTEES 

In view of the benefits granted employees under employees’ com¬ 
pensation and retirement legislation, persons appointed may be given 
a physical examination by a physician in the Federal service before 
entering on duty. * * * 

Issued November //, 1925. 

The apprentices are indentured, the papers being 
signed by the apprentice and countersigned by the 
parent or guardian. 

As a condition of the intensive training given, appren¬ 
tices will be required to attend a recognized educational 
institution for such periods as may be directed by the 
Public Printer. 


GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 


VI 





FOREWORD 


OUTLINE only is given of the courses 
of instruction for the apprentice. Every 
opportunity will he given the student to ground 
himself thoroughly in his chosen trade. It 
must he remembered, though, that the student 
will progress only to the extent he may apply 
himself. 

Implicit obedience to the rules of the office 
and directions of the Instructor will he expected 
and required . 

It will he the constant aim to develop a 
craftsman who will he an honor to his Govern¬ 
ment and a credit to the trade. 


GEORGE H. CARTER, 

Public Printer. 


Page One 






























PRINTER COURSE 


(4) FIRST PERIOD - 1 month 


Lay of case: 

Caps, small caps, lower case. 

Purpose of quads and spaces. 

Leaders and en periods and en commas. 

Meaning of “font.” 

Meaning of various characters. 

The point system. 

Leads, slugs, rules, and scabbard: 

How and why numbered. 

When to cut and when not to cut. 
Sorting and putting away. 


SECOND PERIOD - 3 months 


Setting type: 

Position at the case. 
Adjusting the stick. 
Learning to pick up type. 
Avoiding false motions. 
Emptying the stick. 

Use of leads and slugs. 
Use of composing rule. 
Justification. 

The galley: 

Its use and care. 

How to carry. 

Locking up. 


Spacing. 

Division of words. 
Indention. 

Leaders. 

Learning names of type. 

Punctuation. 

Capitalization. 


Position of, when correcting. 
Overrunning matter on. 


Correct manner of tying work: 

So wound that strands will parallel, working from bottom to top. 
So firmly wound that nothing will drop out, or off, the ends of 
the lines. 


v GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page Three 














PRINTER COURSE 


THIRD PERIOD - 1 month (5) 


Taking proof: 

See that there are no raised letters or dirt under the type, page 
paper, or galley; also, see that bed of press is clean. 

Ink to be well distributed on roller. 

Roll from bottom toward top of galley. 

Position of pages. 

Record where job is placed. 

Planer— 

How to use. 

Brush its face with palm of hand. 

How placed when through using. 

Proof press— 

Care of. 

Make sure galley is properly locked. 

How to avoid creasing paper in full galley. 

See that slug or other identification mark is at head of galley. 
See that rules are even with face of type, and leads below 
face of type. 

Distribution: 

Difference i n manner of handling small or larger sizes of type. 
Never overload the case. 

Return of cuts, rules, leads, or “sorts" to proper person or place. 
Do not permit cuts to get wet. 

Care of cuts: 

Never leave in an exposed place. 

Protect with cardboard. 

Be sure no pins or brads are in cardboard protection. 

Manner of putting away. 


q BOOKS ARE TEACHERS, WHOSE JNSTRUC - 
TIONS ARE UNACCOMPANIED WITH 
BLOWS OR HARSH WORDS ; WHO DEMAND 
NEITHER FOOD NOR WAGES v V v v 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page Four 








PRINTER COURSE 


(9) FOURTH PERIOD - 4 months 


Bookwork: 

Safeguard the copy. 

Make sure stick is true. 

Align paragraphs in some cases where more than one size of type 
is used. 

Difference in character or size of type where cut-in note, marginal 
note, or footnote is used. 

Main heads. 

Subheads. 

Hanging indentions. 

Indention to be increased with width of measure. 

How to set remainder of word or words following initial letter. 
Carrying over a single word or part of word. 

Crowding a line. 

Spacing too wide. 

Avoiding lanes. 

Ending a paragraph with less than an em. 

Running matter around a cut. 

Ligatures and diphthongs. 

Foreign phrases. 

Poetry. 

Formulas. 

Q. and A. matter. 


During the first year apprentices will be detailed to the Document 
Proof Room as copyholders, the object being to keep the parts of 
speech clear in their minds, help them to decipher manuscript, and 
enunciate properly. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Past Flee 









PRINTER COURSE 


FIFTH PERIOD - 3 months (12) 


Tabular work: 

Casting up. 

Reading columns: When to leader from top or bottom line. 
Figure columns. 

Box headings. 

Bearing off figures from rules. 

Ruling out: Number of lines to be counted—not measured—and 
ruled out accordingly with labor-saving rule. 

Braces. 

Alignment of points. 

When and where not to use leaders. 

Single and parallel dashes. 

Unrelated groups. , 

Flush lines. 

Hanging indention, avoiding conflicts where more than one. 

Use of colon. 

Use of dash. 


q AT A GENERAL COURT HELD AT BOSTON 
ON THE 8th DAY OF THE 8th MONTH, 1641, 
STEPHEN DAYE, "BEING THE FIRST THAT 
SET UPON PRINTING, IS GRANTED 300 
ACRES OF LAND, WHERE IT MAY BE CON¬ 
VENIENT, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO ANY 
TOWN" v v v v v v v v v 


GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 


P*f Six 










PRINTER COURSE 

(15) SIXTH PERIOD - 3 months 


Making-up: 

Verify sequence of galley slug numbers. 

Folios. 

Sinks in new pages. 

Signature marks. 

Facing pages to be same length. 

Chapter heads. 

Continued lines— 

Leader and tabular matter. 

Stub of table. 

Extracts. 

Marginal notes. 

Cut-in notes. 

Footnotes. 

Side notes on outside margin. 

Avoiding break lines on top of pages. 

Cuts, allowing for— 

Treatment of, where several are on one page or broad, on 
facing pages. 

Running matter around, proper white space to be allowed. 
Result of retaining slugs broader at top than at bottom and vice 
versa. 

Avoiding high slugs in type going to press. 

Watching for broken type. 

Avoiding leading out with short leads in mono or foundry type. 
Difference in monotype em quad and its multiples owing to set 
measurement. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page Seven 








PRINTER COURSE 


SEVENTH PERIOD - 12 months (27) 


Job work: 

Spacing cap lines. 

Spacing lower-case lines. 

Use of a series. 

Combinations that produce harmony. 

Margins—top, bottom, and side. 

White space. 

Proper balance— 

Main lines. 

Secondary lines. 

Catch lines. 

When large type does not constitute display. 

Treatment where a number of lines of straight reading matter 
are to be used so as to allow for proper display of the job. 
Particular spacing between lines with special regard to weight 
of main lines. 

Training the eye to beauty and symmetry. 

Difference in actual center and optical center. 

Judgment in selecting type. 

The art of composition as revealed in a title-page— 

When lower case is permissible. 

When all caps is desirable. 

Avoidance of most job faces. 

Setting type in curves or brass circles. 

Constructing a pedigree. 

How to skeletonize. 

Distribution— 

Rule to be observed when distributing script. 

Wood type and cuts—not to get wet. 


•I Apprentices will be detailed to the Testing Section for short periods 
of time, where they will be instructed as to the different grades and 
kinds of paper. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page Eight 








PRINTER COURSE 


(34) EIGHTH PERIOD - 7 months 


Imposing (or stonework): 

(5 month* on job work. 2 months on book work.) 

Correct manner of placing the furniture. 

Correct manner of placing the quoins. 

Correct manner of using the key. 

Use of bearers in small forms. 

Varying pressures. 

The twin (book) chase. 

Planing the form (special reference to script, italic, rule, or cuts). 
Making sure that all type is “on its feet ” and that form is securely 
locked. 

"Truing” the job or the pages. 

Failure to “lift.” 

Causes of binding. 

Causes of “riding” on press. 

Foundry lockup: Why forms are plated. 

Form layouts— 

Sheetwise, tumble, legal fold, inset, etc. 

Proving correctness of layout. 

Side, back, head, and foot margins. 

Registering the pages. 

The crossbar. 

Forms not to be placed in rack face to face. 

Wesel blocks. 

Patent blocks for plates— 

Locking away from “pull” of cylinder. 

Use of ratchet so as to avoid damaging plates. 


q While receiving instruction in imposition, apprentices will be taken 
to the Platemaking, Press, and Bindery Divisions for the purpose of 
becoming acquainted with the sequence of operations necessary to a 
finished product, special attention being given to the necessity of certain 
layouts for folding-machine production. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page N in* 










PRINTER COURSE 


NINTH PERIOD - 6 months (40) 

Monotype 

Keyboard operating: 

Straight matter— 

Keyboard layout. 

Operating technique. 

Letter combinations. 

Practice words. (Touch system.) 

Alphabetical sentences and capitals. 

Ligatures. 

Allowance for initials and cuts. 

Changing ems and units from one set to another. 
Typewriter faces. 

Tabular matter— 

Tabular work with rules. 

Tabular work without rules. 

Box headings. 

Letter spacing. 

Ditto work. 

Multiple-column work. 

Intricate tabular work. 

Mechanism: 

Knowledge of mechanism of machine. 

Reading perforations on paper ribbon. 

Setting machine to any measure and adjust and prove the same. 
Knowing when machine is not properly registering. 

Knowledge of the effect on the caster of a “killed” line. 

Effect of placing a character in wrong unit row. 

Use of unit wheel for column, leader work, and fixed spaces. 

Use of justifying scale and keys. 

Use of the stop bar. 

When to change bar banks. 

The machine course Will require 6 months: Two weeks on the 
Linotype and two weeks on the Monotype for the purpose of decision, 
and 5 months (or less, as may be) on machine finally selected to 
prove adaptability. 

V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page Ten 











PRINTER COURSE 


(40) NINTH PERIOD - Continued 


Linotype or Inter type 

Dummy keyboard: 

Keyboard layout. 

Finger movement or “touch” system. 

Fingering combinations. 

Live keyboard: 

Operation of. 

Straight matter. 

Spacing and justification. 

Twin-slug composition. 

Broken measure. 

Borders and dashes. 

Signs and symbols. 

Mechanism (apprentice must thoroughly study Lino 
Instruction Book): 

Mechanism of machine. 

Action necessary when distributer stops. 

Opening magazine entrance. 

Removing wrong-font matrix from distributer box. 

Removing fallen matrix from magazine. 

Avoiding squirts. 

Detecting hot and cold slugs. 

Lowering and closing vise. 

Turning mold disk. 

Changing liners and ejector blades. 

Adjusting side trimming knives. 

Changing magazine. 

Adjusting font distinguishes 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE V 


Page Eleven 






PRINTER COURSE 


TENTH PERIOD - 8 months (48) 


Proof reading, revising, etc.: 

(Apprentices will be detailed to proof and job sections during 
training periods of the first 40 months.) 

Become thoroughly conversant with the Government Printing 
Office Style Manual. 

The regular marks, as illustrated in Government Printing Office 
Style Manual, must be learned before entering proof room. 

Read copy editor’s instruction sheet. 

Before starting to read, verify sequence of folios and see that the 
proof is legible. When reading is finished, see that all of the 
copy is returned with the proof. 

Run the lines on the right side of column in straight matter to see if 
punctuation marks or thin letters have dropped off or are caught 
on leads; also observe whether there are any words wrongly 
divided. 

Run the left side with a view to detecting any errors of indention, 
or omissions of lettered or numbered paragraphs. 

When with a copyholder or partner read distinctly, but not so loud 
as to disturb your fellow workmen. Face the desk; read to 
your partner, not to other desks. 

Learn to make the marks distinctly and directly opposite the place 
where error exists; if word is omitted, make the caret so it does 
not impinge on the word beneath. Make neat marks; avoid 
crossing lines or marking across printed matter. 

Take nothing for granted. When in doubt, inquire, or, if neces¬ 
sary, resort to a query. 

See that compositor has followed instructions as to size and face of 
type, the width and depth of page, whether leaded or solid, 
or to any special orders given by copy editor. 

q THE GLORY AND POWER OF PRINTING IS 
NOT ALL IN THE PAST. ITS INFLUENCE 
IN THE PRESENT MAKES IT A POWER. 
FUL CONSERVATOR OF HUMAN PROG¬ 
RESS. IT IS THE HANDMAIDEN OF ALL 
ARTS AND INDUSTRIES, AND A MOST 
EFFECTIVE WORKER IN THE WORLD’S 
WORKSHOP, TO POLISH AND REFINE THE 
CIVILIZATION OF THE AGE v v v v 

— Thomas Caryle 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 


P ait T u) el fie 







PRINTER COURSE 


(48) TENTH PERIOD - Continued 


Proof reading, revising, etc. - Continued 

Uniformity is necessary in the use of figures, capitalization, abbrevi¬ 
ations, fractions, side heads, or peculiarities in compounding or 
spelling words. 

Watch for wrong-font letters and faulty composition that may be 
caused by wrong layout in die case. If any are found, imme¬ 
diately notify assistant foreman, 

Be very careful as to dates, places, and signatures. 

Correct spelling of proper and geographic names. 

If one of a team, insist on partner calling black letter, caps, 
small caps, italic, inferior or superior figures or letters (when 
letters, if roman or italic), changes from one size of type to 
another, whether abbreviations are used instead of entire word, 
or vice versa; and whether leaded or solid. 

That compositors may make no mistake, when the desire is to mark 
a capital I use the lower case i with three strokes underneath. 

If the proof has an unfinished paragraph at the foot, or contains a 
paragraph belonging to the galley following, mark distinctly on 
copy the point to which read and pass it immediately to reader 
who has the next galley. If there are a few lines at head of a 
sheet of copy that belong on preceding galley, pass it to the 
reader needing the “run down” as soon as finished. 

When revising proof it is well to look over entire line, if set on 
monotype, to see that corrected letters are level with the rest 
and that the line is on its feet; if set on the linotype it is neces¬ 
sary that entire line be read, and to see that the slug is in its 
proper position. Make sure that no lines have dropped from foot 
of galley while being corrected. In linotype matter, if correction 
has not been made, run each line to insure the wrong slug has 
not been pulled. 

Many of the qualifications required in a maker-up will be neces¬ 
sary in revising proof. 


€ SOME BOOKS ARE TO BE TASTED, OTHERS 
TO BE SWALLOWED, AND SOME FEW TO 
BE DIGESTED. - - - READING MAKETH A 
FULL MAN. CONFERENCE A READY MAN, 
AND WRITING AN EXACT MAN. 

—Lord Bacon. 


GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 


Page Thirteen 







PRINTER COURSE 


Lectures will be given on the subjects of estimating and 
jacket writing, the student being given practical tests 
from time to time. Experience in press revising will be 
gained by the apprentice as he may be detailed during 
the last two years of service. 



Cl THE MARK OF THE CRAFTSMAN IS UN - 
MISTAKABLE. IT STAMPS EVERYTHING 
HE DOES WITH THAT INTANGIBLE SOME - 
THING, "EVERYWHERE PERVASIVE AND 
NOWHERE EMPHATIC,” THAT IS STYLE. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page Fourteen 












PLATEMAKING COURSE 


Electrotype Finishing 


FIRST YEAR .Oiling and taking care of machines. 

Operating finishing machines. 
Operating proving press. 

SECOND YEAR ------ Rough-straightening plates. 

THIRD YEAR ------- Repairing, correcting, and revising. 

Mounting plates, wood base. 
FOURTH YEAR ----- Mounting plates, metal base. 

Making accented letters and characters. 
Wax ruling. 


Electrotype Molding 

FIRST 6 MONTHS - - - Oiling machinery. 

Filling, stripping, and shaving cases. 
SECOND 6 MONTHS - Battery work. 

Operating blackleading machines. 
THIRD 6 MONTHS - - Backing up. 

Cutting down. 

FOURTH 6 MONTHS - Building up. 

THIRD YEAR ------- Preparing forms for molder. 

Molding. 

FOURTH YEAR .Nickel-plating. 

Care of copper and nickel solutions. 
Care and mixture of wax. 


Stereotyping 


FIRST YEAR - -- -- -- - Oiling and taking care of machines. 

Dropping forms. 

SECOND YEAR ------ Filling metal pot. 

Operating stereotype machinery. 
THIRD YEAR ------- Casting stereotype plates. 

Molding with machine and brush. 

FOURTH YEAR .Preparing and cooking paste for matrices. 


Making matrices. 


v GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page F if leen 


























PHOTO-ENGRAVING COURSE 

FIRST YEAR 


Four three-month periods assisting journeymen in 
various stages of the work, as follows: 

The camera and its use. 

The care and purpose of screens. 

Line drawings, half tones, etc. 

Wet plates. 

Collodions. 

Preparation of formulas used in developing and intensifying 
various negatives. 

Stripping and printing. 

Ben Day laying. 

Printing from negatives on zinc, copper, etc. 

Use of "dragon’s-blood” in protecting etchings. 

Acid and chloride baths. 

Zinc and copper etching. 

Proving. 


SECOND YEAR 


Repetition of essentials in first year’s work, including 
blocking, and training in use of router, trimmer, beveler, 
and machine tools. 


THIRD YEAR 


Re-etching and finishing, with use of hand tools. 


FOURTH YEAR 


Special training necessary to finish the development 
of a competent artisan. 


.*. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 


Page Seventeen 

























PRESSMAN COURSE 

(9)_FIRST PERIOD - 9 months 

Platen Presses 

Press feeding: 

Oiling and cleaning. 

Washing the press. 

Press preparation: 

Preparing the tympan. 

Inking up. 

Make-ready: 

Placing the form. 

Pulling the first impression. 

Setting gauges and registering. 

Underlaying. 

Overlaying. 

Press O. K. 

Type forms. 

Wood-base electros. 

Mixed forms. 

Rule forms. 

Press rollers: 

Adjustment. 

Care and seasoning. 

Printing ink: 

Qualities of ink. 

Paper: 

Grades of paper. 

Static electricity. 

Press adjustments and mechanism: 

Platen movement. 

Bed movement. 

Roller carriage. 

Trip movement. 

Disk and fountain. 

Gears, cams, and side arms. 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


P age N in el een 









PRESSMAN COURSE 


FIRST PERIOD - Continued (9) 


Platen Presses - Continued 

Half-tone make-ready: 

Square half tones. 

Vignettes. 

Process color. 

Tint blocks. 

Ink distribution. 

Special press operations: 

Perforating. 

Scoring. 

Die cutting. 

Numbering. 

Embossing. 

Bronzing. 

Automatic feeders: 

Gauges and sheet adjusters. 

Grippers and delivery fingers. 

Air-feed mechanism. 

Feed and delivery boards. 

Minor adjustments. 

Envelope and card attachments. 


«I ERHARD US RATDOLT, OF VENICE, ENJOYS 
THE HONOR OF BEING THE FIRST TO PRINT 
IN LETTERS OF GOLD, WHICH MAY BE SEEN 
IN HIS EDITION OF “EUCLID,” 1499 v v 


V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page Twenty 










PRESSMAN COURSE 


(40) SECOND PERIOD - 2 years and 7 months 


HANDLING FORMS - -- -- -- -- -- - 3 months 

JOB PRESS SECTION. 4 months 

BOOKWORK, IMPOSITION, PLATE WORK, \ ,, 

MAKE-READY / " ‘ 12 months 

ILLUSTRATION WORK, CUT OVERLAYS, ETC. - 12 months 


Cylinder Presses 

Press feeding: 

Oiling and cleaning. 

Washing up. 

Press preparation: 

Preparing the tympan. 

Inking the press. 

Setting guides. 

Minor adjustments: 

Feedboard and guides. 

Grippers. 

Shooflies and stripper fingers. 

Sheet bands and cylinder brush. 

Slitter and tape reds. 

Fly and sheet delivery. 

Fountain. 

Make-ready: 

Placing the form. 

Registering and position O. K. 

Underlaying. 

Overlaying. 

Type forms. 

Wood-base dectros. 

Mixed forms. 

Make-ready of engravings: 

Line plate and Benday. 

Square half tone. 

Color type forms. 

Vignette. 

Duotone. 

Process color. 

V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page Tu> enty-on e 











PRESSMAN COURSE 


SECOND PERIOD - Continued (40) 


Cylinder Presses - Continued 

Press rollers: 

Adjustment. 

Care and seasoning. 

Printing ink: 

Qualities of ink. 

Ink on paper. 

Press adjustments and mechanism: 

Bed motion. 

The cylinder. 

Bed bearers and registry segment. 

Compression rods. 

Cylinder adjusting screws and cylinder springs. 

The trip. 

Gibs and shoes. 

Track and trackways. 

Air cushion. 

Mechanical overlays: 

Preparing press to make overlay. 

Impression. 

Relieving high lights. 

Final processes. 

Plates and bases: 

Imposition of plate forms. 

Laying and clamping book plates. 

Clamping and registering color plates. 

Interlaying. 

Uses of plates and bases. 

Automatic feeders: 

Loading the stock. Trips and sheet guides. 

Feeding mechanism. Types of feeders. 

Calipers, tapes, and guards. 

Types and uses of cylinder presses. 

V GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE v 


Page Twenty-two 









PRESSMAN COURSE 

(48) THIRD PERIOD - 2 months 


Ink Room: 

Observation - 1 month. 

Roller Room: 

Observation - 1 month. 


FOURTH PERIOD - 6 months 


Web and Harris Presses: 

Operating 3-month period on each. 



q PRINTING IN COLORED INKS WAS FIRST 
SHOWN IN THE “MENTZ PSALTEROF 
1457, BY PETER SCHOFFER. INITIAL LET¬ 
TERS WERE IMPRESSED WITHOUT INK 
AND PAINTED WITH A BRUSH v v V 


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BOOKBINDER COURSE 


(48) FIRST PERIOD - 6 months 


Pamphlet Binding Section: 

Fold, gather, wire-stitch, collate, etc., by hand and machine. 


SECOND PERIOD - 1 year 


Ruling and Sewing Section: 

Gluing up, rounding, boarding, covering, and siding cut-flush books. 
Mounting and guarding, repairing old books, and sawing out. 
Feeding a ruling machine. Later operating a machine under the 
supervision of a paper ruler. 

Making-ready blank books. 


THIRD PERIOD - 2 years 


Forwarding and Finishing Section: 

Operating flat cutting machines and trimmers. 

Smashing, cutting books, gluing, rounding and backing, headband, 
crash and line, case-in, pressing, making book covers, boxes, etc. 

Stamping book covers in gold, metal, ink, etc. 

Forwarding and covering library and blank books, making loose- 
leaf binders, lettering in gold or ink, rolling, creasing, siding, 
and pasting up library and blank books, and all other work 
relating to the art of bookbinding. 


FOURTH PERIOD - 6 months 


<JThe last six months of the fourth year are to be spent in division 
where in the judgment of superintendent highest attainment in work¬ 
manship has been made during the preceding 3^ years. 

^ Details from one section to another will be made in the discretion 
of the superintendent of division 


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M AC H I NIST C O U R S E 

(Each apprentice must take a course of mechanical drawing.) 


FIRST YEAR 


First to Sixth Month-Learning the different tools by name, what 

they are used for, how they should be 
cared for, and the value of each; helping 
issue and receive tools and equipment; 
grinding drills, cutters, and edge tools. 

Seventh to Twelfth Month - - Helping machinists on different shop work. 


SECOND YEAR 


Working with machinist on general all-round work; learning how to 
use the different machines by performing to start with straight work on 
lathe, shaper, drill press, different types of grinding machines, planer, 
and milling machines. This is followed by training in the different 
types of thread cutting, inside and outside taper work, how to make 
proper fits, and what allowances should be made. 


THIRD YEAR 


Working with machinists on emergency call work; shop work when 
not on repair work. It is essential to know that a production machine 
should not be down any longer than necessary, how to plan the best 
way for repair to place machine in good condition as soon as possible. 


FOURTH YEAR 


Continue working with machinists on call jobs. To prove his com¬ 
petency, apprentice will be given, at intervals, repair jobs to be 
handled only by himself. 


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LIBRARY OF CONgfl 

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